Coin sorting machine



April 9 J. w. YOUNG ET AL 2,675,007

COIN SORTING MACHINE File-d Dec. 22, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l V IN VENTORS April 1954 J. w. YOUNG ET AL I 2,675,007

COIN SORTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 22, 1949 4 Sheets-Shet 2 IN VEN TORs a Mfg-am April 13, 1954 J. w. YOUNG ET AL COIN SORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 22. 1949 1N VEN TOR! April 13. 1954 J. w. YOUNG ETAL 2,675,007

' CO'IN SORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 22, 1949 INVENTORS mm 39- Maw Patented Apr. 13,1954

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COIN SORTING MACHINE Application December 22, 1949, Serial No. 134,506

1 Claim. 1

This invention is directed to improvements in coin sorting machines of the type utilizing concentrically mounted, rotatable perforated cylinders which screen the coins according to size.

The primary object of the invention is to pro vide a comparatively simple and inexpensive automatic coin sorting machine which is capable of sorting a large volume of coins rapidly with a minimum of effort on the part of the operator. For example, the improved machine is capable of sorting between twelve and fifteen hundred coins a minute; or in other words, in a lot comprising mixed nickels, dimes and quarters in the usual proportions found in Cigarette vending machines and the like, somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred dollars worth of coins a minute.

The lot or batch method of operation is used. That is, the operator dumps a batch of mixed coins into a hopper, the machine is turned on, and the sorted coins removed from the machine before the next batch is introduced. It has been found that the batch method as utilized in the improved machine is unusually efiicient and insures a complete separation of the various sizes of coins. The removal of the coins is accom-- plished in a novel manner, each group of sorted coins being automatically discharged in a lot. Thus, by providing rapid sorting and automatic lot discharge, the number of coins sorted per unit of time is substantially greater than that possible with the complex and expensive coin sorting machines which operate on the continuous discharge principle in which but a few coins are processed at a time.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention two perforated cylinders are utilized. The cylinders are mounted concentrically, and the coins fed into the inner cylinder. The perforations are graded down in size from the inner to the outer cylinder so that of three coins of different sizes; the largest coin is trapped in the inner cylinder, while the two smaller coins fall through the perforations in the inner cylinder to the outer oylin-- der; the intermediate size coin is trapped in the outer cylinder; and the smallest size coin, after falling through the perforations in the outer cylinder, is caught in a receptacle. It Will be observed that additional cylinders may be added to adapt the machine to operation with a greater number of different size coins.

One of the novel aspects of the improved machine resides in the manner in which the cylinders are mounted. The particular arrangement makes it possible to feed the coins into the inner cylinder automatically while 'the cylinders are rotating. It also makes it possible to utilize the rotative movement of the cylinders to expedite the removal of the sorted coins from the machine. Discharge doors at one end of the unit open directly into the ends of the respective cylinders. The doors are mounted independently so that the coins may be discharged 2. size at a time. Thus, if it is found in a particular collection of coins that one size far outnumbers another, the minority coins may be permitted to accumulate through a number of sorting runs. The doors are mounted in such a manner that they do not interfere with the tumbling and sorting action of the machine and offer no obstacles to the passing of the coins from one cylinder to the other. Upon discharge of the coins, the doors may be opened while the cylinders are turning, it being unnecessary to stop the machine. Provision is made for elevating the one end of the machine so that the cylinders slant toward the doors, thus with the rotative movement and the slant, the coins discharge from the cylinders very rapidly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are pointed out in the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a coin sorting machine embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, particularly illustrating the arrangement of the various parts inside the machine.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine in which certain parts are broken away to illustrate the details of the driving mechanism more clearly.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the machine is mounted on a base H), which has at the front a vertical wall member I l and at the rear a vertical wall member I2. Both of the wall members are secured to the base by means of small angles I3 which are riveted or otherwise appropriately fixed to the wall members and secured to the base by screws or the like. The two vertical wall members I! and I2 constitute the main frame of the machine and for this reason preferably are fabricated from sheets of rather heavy-gauge metal. At the top of the unit a hopper "I4 is mounted, the hopper cooperating with a conveyor belt l5 and a chute It for introducing the coins into the machine. Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that two perforated cylinders are shown. The inner cylinder is indicated generally at ll and the outer cylinder is indicated generally at I8. The two cylinders are mounted concentrically, and in the present embodiment are adapted to rotate together.

Briefly, the operation of the unit is as follows. Coins are placed into the hopper it, carried by the conveyor it to the chute it and then directed by the chute 55 into the inner cylinder :1 through an opening 28 in the vertical wall member l2. At the end of the unit oppositezthe; chute It a pair of doors 2! and 22 is provided, these doors opening respectively into theends of the two cylinders i i and 58. It will be noted that the perforations 23 in the cylinder 'l 'li arelz-irgerv thanthe perforations 25 in the outer cylinder. Figure 2, being somewhat diagrammatic, shows only a few of the perforations" in the walls of the two cylinders, but it'willbe'un'derstotid that the-per forations are over substantially the whole area of each cylinder and as clos together as. is prac tical without weakening the materiat of the cylinders to the extent that the: connecting webs between the perforations will be broken: by the action of the coins: during. rotation of the cylinders. The unit shownis designed to sort; coins of three different sizes. The perforations. 23 in the inner cylinder are of such a size: that the largest coin of the three cannot pass: through. in the outer cylinder theperforations are of such a size that the intermediate size coinzcannot'pass. Thus, when a batch of mine is" introduced into the inner cylinder, the largest coins, for'ins-tance, quarters, are retained inside. the cylinder ll; the next sized coins, for instance-n-ichels, are'retained in the outer cylinder; and'the smallestsizedcoin; for instance dimes, are collected in apan 25 1c cated below the two cylinders. To discharge the coins from the cylinders the machine is: tipped by means of a bellcrank lever 2t which is pivotally mounted as at 21- at the rear of the base of the machine. The lever 25 carries a roller 28+ at the one end and a handle as at the other end to facilitate swinging the lever into an elevating position. When the handle: is swung down, the roller end of the lever is moved to a position in which the base is supported on an angle; Thus, when the doors 2| and 22 are opened, with the cylinders rotating, the coins are very rapidly d-ischarged from their respective cylinders.

It will be obvious that other combinations of cylinders than those shown in the drawings may be utilized. For example, if it is desired, the machine can be adapted tosort all five of the denominations of coins used in the United States by adding two more cylinders having perforations of appropriate sizes. 7

Described in detail, the cylinder assembly is vertical wall. member: H.

nailed on the front and back wall members. In

the embodiment shown in the drawingssir idler rollers are utilized for each end of the cylinder assembly. The rollers 32 are idlers which are adapted to engage in circular traclzs 33 cut in the peripheries of support rin s 3-4. Two rings 34'- are utilized, one at each end of the cylinder assembly as shown in Figure 2. The rings 34 may be brazed or otherwise appropriately fixed to the outside of the outer cylinder it. At the rear end of the cylinder assembly, that is, at the end into which the coins are introduced, the two. cylinders are secured to an annulus comprising a gear member 35 (Figure 6). This gear member is counter-turned on the forward face to provide a shoulder 31 for supporting the outer cylinder, and is cut out centrally as at 3?; to a size corresponding to the opening it in the vertical wall member at the back of the machine. The central opening thus provided is also counter-burned as at 33 to provide a shoulder for seating the rear end of the inner cylinder H, the cylinder being brazedor otherwise appropriately to the gear member. The periphery of the gear mem ber 35 is cut to provide gear teeth 4Q which ex.- tend completely around the circinnference of the gear: member, and these teeth are in driving engagement with a gear train, to be described later, for driving the cylinder assembly in rotative movement.

Thus;.it.will be noted that the rear end of both cylinders are secured to the gear member 35* and thus, in effect, the outer cylinder supports the inner. However, at the forward end of the cylinderassemblythe ends of the two cylinder members are'mounted. independently. The outer member is=mounted on the rollers 32 inst as at therear, but the inner cylinder is journalled in the innerrace of aballbearing unit t2, theouter race of this hearing: being welded or. otherwise appropriately fixed to: the inner face of the front The. wall member ii is cut out in the area attheforward end of cylinder. l1 and door 21 seated therein. Both of the doors 2i and: 22. are set in from the front wall member ll an amount substan ially equai to the width of. the forward ring Thus, the doors lie adjacent the respective perforations 28 and 2t and. there is no dead space in which. coins could become entrapped during" the sorting run of the machine.

Eor'the inner cylinder ii, the door ii i circular and fits somewhat snugly with the. inside.

diameter of! the cylinder; The door Si is carried on a. strap' i l. which extends across the front of the machine, being hinged at the one end as at til and latched asat 45 to the other end. The door is spaced inwardly from the strap by means of a bushing t! which carried by a bolt 48 secured to'the strap M. 'The bushing provides a rotatable: journal for the doors, so that it turns freely with the cylinder it; thus, cutting down the drag which would otherwise be on the cylinder. The outer cylinder door 22 is also mounted on a strap 4-1 which extends across the front of the machine parallel to strap 6 3, at the one end being hinged to the side of the front wall member as at Hand latched at the other end as at 56. The door" 22 is spaced from strap 6? bymeans of spacer elements so that the two doors lie in the same plane. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the lower door. is arcuate; corresponding in size and shape to the opening between the outer drum l3 and the ballbea-ring unit :22. Referring now to Figure 4, a pair of fillet plates 52 and 53 are mounted at the two ends of door These plates are secured to the inside of wall member H and serve to deflect coins away from the ends of the door 50 coins do not become caught behind the door and thus prevented from passing on throughthe outer cylinder.

Described in detail, the hopper it comprises side walls 55--55 and a-front end wall 5%. The side walls and front end wall slope inwardly to pirovide a funneling eifeet for directing the coins onto the conveyor i5. Thefront end wall 56 of the hopper is bent downwardly from the top to provide the facing 59 which seatson the upper edge of the forward wall member 1 I as at 60. At the rear of the hopper unit the side walls are bent outwardly at right angles to provide the flanges 6| which are bolted to the rear vertical wall member 12, see Figure 5. At the rear end of the hopper unit, a vertical wall 62 is provided, and fillet plates 64 are provided at the sides of the wall member 62 between the side walls 55 and the end wall 62 to deflect the coins and thus prevent jamming. The end wall 62 of the hopper is out out as at 63 to accommodate the conveyor I5. For convenience, a sliding door 65 is placed on wall 62, the door being slidable vertically in channels formed by tangs 66-B6 secured to the wall 62 at the sides of door 65. The door provides a convenient reminder to the operator to check whether or not the pan 25 is in place before turning on the machine.

The conveyor l5 comprises an endless belt i0 which passes around a roller II at the rear and a roller 12 at the front of the machine. Roller 12 is carried by angle brackets 13-43 which are secured to the inside of front wall member ll. At the rear, roller H is on the outside of the rear wall member l2 and is journalled at the respective ends in adjustable pillow blocks l4-'l4. These blocks are adjustable toward and from the end wall [2 in order to provide means for tightening belt 15. In each instance, adjustment is accomplished by means of abolt 15 which passes through the two pillow blocks and has nuts 16-16 threaded thereon in engagement with the respective outer faces of the pillow blocks. Thus, by loosening one bolt and tightening the other, the pillow blocks are moved longitudinally of bolt be tween the two nuts 16. The upper run of the belt 10 is made with the two edges of the belt passing through channels 78-13 which are formed by bending the lower ends of the two side wall members 55 of the hopper in U configuration, with the open ends of the Us facing each other. This arrangement is utilized so that none of the coins become jammed between the side walls 55 and the belt 10.

The belt 10 is supported on a table 80 Which extends from the front wall member l! to the back wall member 12 underneath the belt. The two side edges of the table 80 are bent downwardly to provide flanges 8|8| which are secured to support angles 82-432. The angles 82 are in turn secured to the respective back and front wall members of the frame. At the front, attachment is made by securing the angle members 82 to the flanges 13 which journal the roller 12. At the rear, simple angle brackets 83, which are attached to the rear wall I2, are provided for supporting the table unit. The chute I6 is mounted in a position to receive the coins as they drop from the end of the conveyor belt. The chute comprises a hood 84 which is generally rectangular in shape; enclosing the rear end of the conveyor belt. The lower end of the hood terminates in tapering walls 85, these walls finally terminating in a funneling chute 86 which directs the coins into the inside of cylinder I! through opening 20. Where the funneling chute 86 opens into cylinder IT, a filleting member 81 is provided so that the coins in cylinder I I cannot be caught beneath the funneling chute in the marginal area where there are no perforations in the wall of the cylinder.

In the preferred embodiment, the coin sorting machine is provided with both a motor drive and a crank or hand drive. An electric motor 90 is mounted on the base in at the one side of the machine toward the rear. The motor may be connected directly to the gear train, however, it is preferred that a rubber belt and pulley drive be interposed between the motor and the gear train as a safety factor in the event that the machine becomes jammed. This arrangement is not absolutely necessary but it has been found that when coins are taken from coin operated parking meters, cigarette and other vending machines, there are a number of foreign objects mixed with the coins that have been inserted into the machines in an effort to jam the mechanism or cause it to operate without a coin. For this reason, the safety factor is suggested.

Referring now to Figure 3, the pulley on the motor is indicated at 9| and the pulley on the gear train indicated at 92. The two pulleys are linked by means of a rubber belt 93. The pulley 92 is mounted on a shaft 94 which is journalled in the respective front and back wall members I I and I 2 of the frame. The shaft 94 also carries pinion 95, the pinion meshing with a gear 96. The gear 95 is mounted on a shaft 9'! which extends parallel to shaft 94 and is also journalled at the respective ends in the two wall members of the frame. A toothed clutch 98 is interposed in the gear train at this point in order to provide means of disconnecting the drive from the motor to the cylinders. This clutch is an added safety factor and is designed to be operated very quickly in case of an emergency jam of the machine. The clutch comprises two toothed members I00 and H)! which are mounted on shaft 91. Member IE! is simply journalled on shaft 91, however, member lill) is keyed to the shaft 9?, but is free to move longitudinally thereof into or out of engagement with the other member. This movement is accomplished by means of a lever I02 which is pivotally journalled as at H33 near the center and which carries: a pair of yoke pins 404 adapted to ride in a circumferential groove 605 out in the member Hill. The gear train is completed by clutch member iili which carries a gear H36 in mesh with the teeth 40 on the gear member 35. The driving connec tion is made through an idler gear illl' (Figure 5) which meshes with the teeth Ail, this idler gear being pivotally journalled as at 03 on the rear wall member [2 of the frame. Above gear llJ'l a gear I I0 is mounted on a shaft Hi. Gear is! is meshed with gear H0 and thus shaft Iii is rotated. Shaft III is rotatably journalled in the respective front and rear wall members of the frame similar to shafts 91 and 94. Near the front of the machine a pair of bevel gears HZ are mounted respectively on shaft Hi and on a shaft H3. Shaft H3 is a continuation of roller 12 and thus transmits the drive to the belt 10. At the forward end of the shaft HI conventional means are provided for making a connection with a hand crank (not shown). The connection is protected by means of a housing H5 (Figure 1) bolted to the face of the front wall member. Thus, it will be seen that the whole assembly may be driven by means of the hand crank from shaft ill or from the motor by means of the gear train. It will also be noted that the clutch 98 may be disengaged whenever the drive is by manual power so that the motor and the rest gears in the train are disconnected.

The R. P. M. of the motor is geared down through the gear train and particularly at the meshing connection between gear I06 and the comparatively large gear 35. However, the

tumbling action is equally eiiicient over a comparatively wide range of operating speeds. The ideal operating speeds of the cylinders and the ideal feeding capacity of the conveyor belt for particular operations are easily determined by experiment. It is suggested that a guard similar to the one shown at H6 be provided over the pulley drive and that side plates similar to those shown at H1 and H8 be provided adjacent the cylinder assembly. At the lower ends, plates H1 and H8 may be bent inwardly as at H9 so that coins hitting against these parts will be deflected toward the pan 25, see Figure 5. The side plates H1 and H8 may be secured in place by means of flanges similar to those shown at I20 which are bolted to the respective front and back wall members of the frame. It is also suggested that pairs of fillet plates !2l-l2l similar to those utilized at the ends of door 22 be utilized near the lower rollers 32 in order to defiect coins away from them.

It has been found desirable to break the electric wiring to the driving motor at a mercury switch I22 so that the motor cannot be turned on unless pan 25 is in place to catch the coins. The switch is located at the side of the machine near the base and carries a roller I23 adapted to be engaged by the pan for closing the switch. This switch may be of any conventional type adapted to close on contact.

The principles of operation of the coin sorting machine disclosed here may be utilized in a machine adapted for manual operation only, that is, a machine in which the gear train and motor drive are omitted. lighten the machine considerably and adapt it to be transported more easily. It will be obvious that the machine is also equally well adapted to be installed as a part of a permanent installation in which sheet metal coin chutes are provided at the discharge openings. In the latter instance, the hinge of discharge door 22 may be modified slightly in order to provide clearance for the chute leading from the discharge end of the inner cylinder. Also, baiile plates similar to those shown at l2-li24 in Figure may be installed in the cylinders to increase the agitating and thumbling efiect of the coins when the cylinders are rotated. These and other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Having described our invention, We claim:

This modification would A coin sorting machine comprising a base, front and rear wall members mounted on the base, an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, said cylinders being concentrically disposed intermediate'said front and rear wall members, each of said cylinders being perforated over substantially its entire surface, the perforations in the inner cylinder being larger than the perforations in the outer cylinder, mounting means for rotatably supporting said cylinders adjacent to said front and rear wall members, the mounting means adjacent the rear wall comprising an annulus secured to an end of said inner and outer cylinders and members rotatably journalling said annulus adjacent the periphery of the outer cylinder, the mounting means adjacent the front wall comprising journal members disposed at the periphery of each of said cylinders, drive means associated with said annulus for rotating said cylinders, said rear wall having an aperture therein in registry with the central portion of said annulus and said inner cylinder, a, coin chute extending through said aperture for introducing coins to the inner cylinder, a circular door in the front wall member adapted to fit into the inner cylinder, said door being hinged to the front Wall member and being mounted for rotation with the inner cylinder, a second door hinged to the front wall, said door being of an arcuate configuration and opening into the space between the inner and outer cylinders below the circular door, said arcuate door being in registry with the lowermost portion of the outer cylinder, and means for tipping the machine toward the doors, whereby the coins may be discharged while the cylinders are rotating.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 419,696 Merrell Jan. 21, 1890 1,147,283 Tuttle July 20, 1915 1,172,626 Moussette Feb. 22, 1916 1,585,242 I-Iageman May 18, 1926 1,668,626 Brandt May 8, 1928 1,842,019 Godefroid Jan. 19; 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 124,465 Germany Oct. 21, 1901 

